This invention relates generally to a display device and more specifically to a display system having a display panel that can securely engage a display shelf.
Display systems have been developed in the past to exhibit a wide variety of advertising in merchandise outlets such as supermarkets and the like. In-store merchandising systems have often included C-channels on steel merchandise shelves that accommodate either labels or sign holders. The varying sizes of the C-channels result in the labels and sign holders becoming displaced or not fitting properly. To overcome this problem and effectively secure the labels or sign holders, it is often necessary to force the label into the C-channel or glue the label to the channel. This results in problems when the labels have to be removed from the channel once labels are no longer required.
Prior art display systems have been devised to address the aforenoted problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,833 issued on Dec. 12, 1995 to Ostrovsky, relates to a clip-on label holder and cover. The clip-on label holder may be inserted into a price ticket channel member of a shelf. The cover comprises an elongate clear plastic strip, having a clear plastic display panel and an integral clip.
Harnois et al. is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,066 which issued on May 30, 1995. This patent relates to a card holder extrusion mounted on a conventional card holder located in front of a shelf.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,793 issued to Gebka et al. on Feb. 6, 1996. This patent relates to an extruded plastic price channel which can be fitted into a C-channel at the front of a merchandise shelf to provide a mounting for merchandise labelling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,307 was issued on Oct. 17, 1995 to Gebka. This patent relates to a ribbed plastic price channel for use on a product display shelf to receive product labels. The ribbed plastic price channel has a high friction coating on the ribs to reduce the tendency for an inserted label to slide along the channel and out a position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,182 was issued on Feb. 26, 1991 to Fast. A sign holder is disclosed for use in attaching label cards or other signs in prominent positions. The sign holder may project from a front edge of supermarket and like product display shelves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,064 was issued on Dec. 10, 1985 to Thompson. This patent relates to a plastic display card holder for receiving and gripping a card for display purposes and comprises of interconnected spaced-apart parallel wall portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,418 was issued on May 24, 1983 to Alley. This patent relates to a shelf display and is constructed for vertical elastic mounting of a product information member between upper and lower shelves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,818 was issued on Jun. 24, 1980 to Butcher. This patent relates to a display device for displaying two similar articles on a store shelf. The display device has a base portion which includes a flat sheet adapted to overlie a shelf which is generally horizontal. A flexible sign holder is connected to the front of the flat sheet and extends forwardly and downwardly therefrom for containing pricing information.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,698 was issued on Nov. 4, 1997 to Bevins. This patent relates to a plastic sign holder and is designed to fit into C-channels of different heights along front edges of respective merchandise display shelves. The holder is a plastic sheet with downwardly folded flaps of different heights at the top and bottom edges. The flaps are adapted to the heights of the respective channels so that the holder can be reversed for selective use in either channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,739 was issued on Jul. 13, 1982 to Greenberger. This patent relates to a display device which is adapted for use in conjunction with conventional shelf moldings. The sign includes a first portion which snaps within the molding and a second portion which extends therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,803 was issued on Dec. 27, 1994 to Kump. This patent relates to a holder for planar or sheet material includes a first panel, a second panel and a hinge along which an edge of the first panel is secured to an edge of the second panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,813 was issued on Nov. 10, 1987 to Fast. This patent relates to a multipurpose display card holder that is formed from a rectangular blank of plastic sheet. The blank is divided by three transverse crease lines into four contiguous panels namely a base forming panel at one end of the blank, a first card holder panel adjacent the base forming panel, a bridging panel adjacent the first card holder panel and a second card holder panel adjacent the bridging panel at the other end of the blank.
Thus a display system which provides an easy and secure way of attaching and detaching a display panel to a merchandise display shelf without the need for a C-channel or fasteners is desirable.
An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved display system.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display system comprising of a holding means having at least two panels, a stopping member and a retaining grove. The display system may further comprise of a display means having a locking member wherein the locking member fits securely into the retaining groove, and the stopping member prevents the display means from being dislodged.
Preferably, the holding means may be further defined by three panels, wherein the three panels are oriented into a Z-shape. The holding means may also be defined with two panels, a front panel and a back panel that are associated with one another so that the display means may fit securely between the two panels.
Conveniently, the stopping member may be further defined as an angled rib and the display means may be defined as a folded display panel having a front edge and a back edge. Preferably the locking member may be a lip located on the back edge of the folded display panel.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for removably mounting a display system having a Z-shaped holding means which may have a stopping member and retaining groove and a display means which may have a locking member. The method requires attaching the Z-shaped holding means to a display shelf, and then attaching the display means to the Z-shaped member wherein the locking member snaps into the retaining groove and the stopping member holds the display means in an attached position.